How to Record The Electric Guitar

It can be used to create rhythm, melody, riff and even the odd solo- which, short, means that the instrument is incredibly diverse.

Many people want to know the best techniques for recording music using the electric guitar.

Here are a few:

First and foremost, remember that the electric guitar has no natural sound; therefore there is no “right” way to play it. Feel free to make the kind of music that you like! Attempting to copy other, more popular styles is rarely a good idea, as it’s likely to sound unnatural when combined with your playing style.

Secondly, effects and distortions are best left until the mixing and editing stages of recording. Playing with effects already present can not only be very difficult, but will also make editing a nightmare. Effects such as flanger, chorus and wah-wah might be okay, but reverbs and delays can both spill over into subsequent notes and ruin overall quality.

If you find it difficult to play without the accompanying effects, you might consider adding them to your monitor mix so that you will be able to hear them, but still record directly from the DI signal so that only the sounds from the guitar will be recorded.

Finally, you should ensure you use the correct pickup and compressor, and fix any off-notes using Auto-tune. Then, if the track stands up in comparison to another song, you have yourself a recording!